Sedimentation Impacts on Resident Rainbow Trout in a High-gradient Southern Appalachian Stream
Changes in substrate and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) catch rates in Howard Creek, a southern Blue Ridge escarpment stream were evaluated before and during sedimentation resulting from construction of a pumped-storage hydroelectric project. As substrate quality declined from road and dam construction, both y-o-y and adult rainbow trout catch rates declined. The decline in y-o-y catch rates preceded the decline of adult catch rates. The substrate component best correlated (r= —0.96 and —0.88) with declining y-o-y and adult rainbow trout catch rates was the very fine sand fraction....
